Who was the first band to hire Jimi Hendrix?
When The Beatles performed on The Ed Sullivan Show, it took the US by storm. The power of a band was officially discovered, as the Fab Four, with their rendition of ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’, shook the musical world to its absolute core and blew the minds of everyone watching. It was history. Meanwhile, on a coach in New Jersey, history of a different kind was being made as Jimi Hendrix sat in the middle of The Isley Brothers, his first band, watching the event unfold.
When you think of Jimi Hendrix, you think of a solo artist. His beautiful lyricism, captivating guitar ability, and exceptional stage presence are so undeniable that for him to form only one component of a musical outfit doesn’t seem right. However, he has always played in bands. Granted, some of those bands were named after him and were essentially fronts for a Jimi Hendrix solo show, but before that, he had to earn his stripes in a number of other musical outfits.
The first band that he played in was The Isley Brothers. While their soulful style might sound quite far removed from the music that Hendrix went on to make, it was an essential step for the Seattle-based guitarist, as it gave him experience performing as a unit and also led to the purchase of his white Stratocaster.
“He said, ‘I’ve heard all about you guys’,” said Ernie Isley, recalling the moment he first met Hendrix, “He said, ‘I like that song that y’all have called ‘Twist and Shout’ and he started playing. I said, ‘Oh my’.”
The whole dynamic of the band shifted. Nobody is born with the talent that Hendrix had; it was the result of a lot of hard work and practice; however, there was charisma and a sense of showmanship in him that came naturally. This was evident the moment he stepped out on stage, and it was clear to everyone performing with him that he was going to be a star. Not long after that, he flew to London and began performing there, which is when his career really took off.
When he started performing in London, Hendrix’s ability as a solo artist was evident, and his career took off most predominantly at this point. However, there were a few steps he had to take before he got to that point, as he played in more bands than just The Isley Brothers.
Which bands did Jimi Hendrix play in?
Jimi Hendrix played in a few bands. In some of them, Hendrix was the star of the show, and though it was technically a band, most people were coming out to see his guitar playing and hear his vocals specifically. These bands formed after he went to London and made a name for himself as one of the best guitarists on the scene. During that period, he played in The Jimi Hendrix Experience, and after they broke up, he performed in Band of Gypsy’s.
Prior to performing in these bands, however, there were a few more that Hendrix was a part of. One, as discussed, was The Isley Brothers, although despite them being such a big part of his life, his time with the band was short-lived. He also performed with Curtis Knight and the Squires, as well as Jimmy James and the Blue Flames. All of these bands helped craft him into the artist that the world grew to know and love, and he likely wouldn’t have been the same without them.
